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PENNSYLVANIA FEDERATION OF INJURED WORKERS Call us toll free 1-888-376-7942
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January 17, 2003
SPECIAL BULLETIN ON HEALTH INSURANCE Expressed opinion by an Injured Worker, PFIW Dauphin County Have your COBRA benefits been exhausted? Have you been turned down by even your own plan for coverage? HIPPA should be able to help YOU! HIPPA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It guarantees health care coverage for those who have exhausted COBRA, and who have not had a lapse in insurance coverage longer than sixty-three (63) days. According to the law, if your COBRA benefits have been exhausted, you are guaranteed coverage under this Act, even for pre-existing conditions, as long as you can prove with a Certificate of Coverage that you have not had a lapse in coverage longer than those 63 days. This should be good news for injured workers who have exhausted COBRA benefits. In Pennsylvania, the people who manage this coverage are the people of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of PA. Be aware though, that the cost of the plan is quite high. I was recently quoted a price of $431.20 a month. The plan I have chosen (The Premier Plan) includes prescriptions, hospitalization and major medical. This plan pays 100% of hospitalization and major medical and 80% of medications. It has a $500 deductible. I have not yet received word as to my acceptance in the plan, but I just sent in my Certificate of Coverage and application. I will let everyone know if I am accepted. According to the Act though, I can not be turned down. So if you are in the same situation as I am in, call the people of Blue Cross and Blue Shield to request an application and call your current insurance carrier to request a Certificate of Coverage. You will need it when you send in your application. There are also lesser plans available at a lower cost. You can choose the plan the best suits your needs. The following website provides all of the information obtained in the Act: http://www.hep-c-alert.org/links/hippa.html#hipaa Please let me know if you have tried to obtain this coverage and have been successful. My e-mail address is: Trevosegirl.trevosian@verizon.net Good luck - and I hope that this information is helpful
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